Do they plant onion sets before winter? Autumn planting of onions for the winter: the best tips from experienced agronomists

Onions can be grown not only as a summer crop, but also planted before winter. Although this option is less popular, it allows you to get an early onion harvest.

Advantages and disadvantages of winter onions

Benefits under winter planting Luke.

1. Before winter they plant the most small sets, the diameter of which is less than 1 cm, it is called wild oat. Such sets are not stored in winter and dry out. When planting in autumn, you get double savings: the seedlings are not only preserved, but also produce a harvest.
2. Possibility of obtaining early greenery in spring.
3. Receiving turnip harvest 3-4 weeks earlier.
4. Small bulbs used for winter planting do not produce arrows, while selections (large sets) always shoot.
5. Less damaged by pests than summer.
6. During the initial growth period, it does not require watering, since after winter there is still enough moisture in the soil.
7. The bulbs are larger and juicier due to the fact that root system they are more powerful.

Autumn planting of onions also has disadvantages:

1. Not all of the sets will rise in the spring.
2. If there is an error with the planting time, the yield decreases.
3. The productivity of the winter road is somewhat lower than that of the summer road.
4. Winter onions are stored worse than spring onions.

Overall, the technology has many more advantages than disadvantages. After harvesting the winter onion, it is used first, then the problem with preservation is eliminated.

What onions are planted before winter?

Grown in winter crop All varieties of yellow and most varieties of red onions can. White onions are less suitable for winter planting. It is better to use varieties zoned for a given region. If the variety is not zoned, there may be large falls, or the onion may not sprout at all.

Varieties that grow very well in winter cultivation are:

• Zodiac
• Viking
• Ellan
• Sturon
• Carmen.

Most of them are salad varieties, unsuitable for winter storage. They are used for canning and processing before the main harvest ripens.

The best predecessors

When growing winter onions, crop rotation must be observed in the same way as for summer plantings. For all types of onions best predecessors are green crops and cabbage plants. Good predecessors are:

• tomatoes,
• melons (pumpkin, zucchini, cucumbers) in the southern regions - watermelons and melons;
• (oilseed radish, mustard).

You should not plant onions before winter after any root crops. After bulbous plants, including bulbous flowers, you cannot plant turnips.

Place for autumn planting of onion sets

To plant onions before winter, choose dry and sunny place. On waterlogged soil the onions get wet, and in the shade the onions become small. The crop loves to be exposed to the rays of the sun all day long, then the harvest will be higher. When shaded, the leaves grow intensively and the setting of bulbs is delayed. In deep shade, the bulb may not set at all.

The bed should be located where the snow melts first in the spring and the water does not stagnate. When water stagnates in the area, the bed is made with a slope of 1°, this is enough for melt water and precipitation to flow down.

When lying close groundwater make drainage from sand at least 3 cm thick.

Preparing the soil for sowing

The area for planting onions should have light, well-warmed soil. When groundwater is close, winter onions are planted in high ridges (30-40 cm). Rapidly compacting soils are dug with 1-1.5 shovels; light and sandy soils are dug shallow; when digging deeply, the seedlings may go into deep layers and not sprout in the spring.

The culture requires fertile soils with a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction (pH 6-7.3). Acidic soils are limed. Onions tolerate lime well, so it is added when preparing the soil for planting. To achieve a quick effect, use fluff or ash.

For winter onions, and for other bulbous crops, fresh manure is not applied. It is also advisable not to use semi-rotted manure. From such fertilizer, the onions will wither in winter, and the one that sprouts in the spring will give a large number of powerful juicy greens, but will not tie the turnip.

The soil is prepared 2 weeks before planting. If you plant the seed immediately after digging, it will go deep and may not sprout in the spring. The earth must settle and settle. When digging, add organic matter (except fresh manure) in a 1 m2 bucket, 20 g of superphosphate and 15-20 g of potash fertilizers. The plant tolerates chlorine well, so you can use potassium chloride. An excellent fertilizer is wood ash(0.5 bucket per 1 m2). When using it potash fertilizers do not add, and if liming is necessary, the dose of lime is reduced. None nitrogen fertilizers They are not used in the fall, since they are washed away by melt water into the lower layers of the soil and are inaccessible to plants in the spring.

On heavy, clayey, quickly compacting soils, 1-2 buckets of sand per m2 are added to loosen them, depending on the density. On sandy soils Clay is added to help it retain moisture.

Preparation of planting material

To plant winter onions, use sets with a diameter of no more than 1 cm. At home, such seed material is not stored and dries quickly, but when planted it gives good results. large bulbs. A larger set is not suitable, because when grown as a winter crop in the spring, it goes into the arrow and sets small bulbs. It devotes all its strength to the formation of seeds; inside it has a rod that prevents the turnip from setting.

In order to select planting material, V cardboard box make a hole with a diameter of 1 cm and sift the onions. The seedlings that passed through the hole can be planted before winter.

2 weeks before planting, the onions are soaked in warm water(temperature 45-50°C) for 3-4 hours. Heat treatment kills pest eggs overwintering in the bottom. Warming up should not be neglected, otherwise you may not get a harvest.

Immediately after warming up, the seeds are treated. Additional treatment of onions against pests is not carried out, since all the eggs have already died. The main pest of the crop, the onion fly, appears in early summer. By this time, the winter road will become stronger, denser, and the pest will not be able to get into the bulb.

For pickling, you can use the preparations Tiram, Fitosporin M, Maxim, soaking the wild oatmeal in them for 30 minutes. Copper preparations are not used for treatment; they help well with downy mildew (downy mildew), but do not protect against root rot.

A good preventative effect is obtained by soaking in a rich pink solution of potassium permanganate. The seed material is kept in the solution for 45-60 minutes, then dried well.

Dates for planting onions in the fall

Winter onions are usually planted at the same time as winter garlic; in the middle zone this is mid-October. But, if you plant garlic in frozen ground, it will not freeze and will still sprout in the spring. But the onion definitely needs to take root; if it doesn’t have time to take root, it will freeze in winter. It takes 14-18 days for the wild oat to take root. In this case, they focus on the weather, planting onions 2-3 weeks before frost. Onions in the ground can tolerate frosts down to -5-6°C, but if the wild oatmeal is poorly rooted, it freezes. In spring, such plants have weak, pale leaves; if severely damaged, they quickly die.

It is important to ensure that the onions do not sprout, otherwise, caught in the frost, they will die. During a long, warm autumn, onions are planted when the temperature drops below 6°C and does not rise above 5-7 days. In the pre-winter period, the soil has not yet frozen, and, at the same time, the seedlings will have time to take root, but will not germinate.

Planting winter onions

The planting scheme for wild oatmeal depends on the purpose of the onion. When growing for turnips, the distance between the bulbs is 10 cm, between rows - 20-25 cm. When growing for turnips, compacted planting is used: the distance between sets is 2-3 cm, the row spacing is 8-10 cm.

Before planting, make rows 5-6 cm deep, at the bottom of which a layer of sand 1-2 cm thick is poured. This is micro-drainage. There shouldn't be any around the bulb. late autumn and in early spring there is a lot of moisture, sand just protects the seedlings from getting wet.

Plant the wild oatmeal to a depth of 3-4 cm and sprinkle it with sand, and fill the furrows with earth on top. Winter onions should not be planted too deep or too shallow. If planted deeply in the spring, it will not be able to germinate; if planted shallowly, when the soil settles, the onion will end up on the surface and freeze in winter.

The soil should be slightly moist. If autumn is damp, then after drawing the rows, the bed is allowed to air for 30-40 minutes, and then drainage is poured. During dry autumn, the rows are watered.

Preparing beds for winter

2 weeks after planting onions, the beds are mulched with fallen leaves, hay, spruce branches, and peat. Previously, there is no need to cover the plantings, otherwise the seedlings will be too warm and, in a dry autumn, they will germinate, but in a damp autumn they will get wet.

If winters in the region are cold but with little snow, then the mulch layer is increased. When covering the bed with light material, so that it is not blown away by the wind, branches are placed on top. You cannot cover a bed covered with fallen leaves with film. It does not allow air to pass through, condensation always forms under it and in winter the seedlings will either freeze or rot.

If the winter in the region is warm, then the bed does not need to be mulched. In such situations, they always rely on the weather in a particular area. For winter onions The main thing is that the ground does not freeze before rooting.

Spring onion care

As soon as the snow has melted, the mulch is immediately removed, otherwise the seedlings may rot. The winter plant sprouts very early, as does garlic. As soon as the sun warms up, shoots appear. The crop is not afraid of frost down to -4-5°C, but if the nights are cold, the plants are covered with lutarsil or film. In the morning, the covering material is removed.

When plants are damaged by night frost, the tips of the leaves turn white, and the stem and leaves themselves acquire a whitish-yellow hue. In this case, urgently feed with potassium or calcium nitrate (fertilizers containing nitrogen), they help the onions survive stressful situation and promote the growth of new leaves. Urea cannot be fed at sub-zero night temperatures, since it contains pure nitrogen, and this, without the presence of other elements, reduces the frost resistance of plants.

Onion feeding

In the first half of the growing season, winter onions need nitrogen, so when the threat of frost has passed, they feed with weed infusion, humates, or urea. After the formation of 5-6 leaves, give potassium-phosphorus fertilizer (1 tablespoon of each fertilizer per 10 liters of water), or feed the onions with an infusion of ash. But if the soil is fertile, fertilizing is not carried out.

You cannot feed the winter road with manure. The nitrogen contained in manure is needed by onions only during the period of feather growth; then it will prevent the formation of bulbs. But since manure decomposes slowly, it maximum amount nitrogen enters the soil when the plant sets a bulb. As a result, the onion either continues to grow feathers, or, in rainy weather, rots.

Watering

The winter road is undemanding when it comes to watering. After winter, there is a sufficient amount of moisture in the soil, so no watering is carried out in the first 20-30 days after germination. Then, in hot and dry weather, water the plants 1-2 times a week, depending on the air temperature. All watering (and liquid fertilizing) is carried out strictly at the root. The soil between the rows must be loosened. Onions are very sensitive to a lack of oxygen in the root zone, and if a crust forms on the soil, the bulb suffocates and rots.

If onions are grown for turnips, it is not advisable to cut off the feather. When leaves are removed, plants grow new ones to the detriment of the bulb. Turnip at too great distance The leaves turn out to be very small, and may not form at all.

After 35-50 days, depending on the variety, watering is stopped, and in wet weather, the soil is raked away from the turnip so that the bulb can breathe. From this time, the ripening of the bulb begins and excess moisture harms plants.

When the feathers are lodged, the onion is ready for harvesting. The winter season ripens, depending on the region, in early to mid-July.

Failures during cultivation

Main reasons.

1. The planting depth is incorrectly selected. The onion either does not sprout or freezes.
2. Too much late boarding sevka The oatmeal freezes.
3. Waterlogging of the soil in spring. The onions rot.
4. Use of unsuitable planting material. The set dried out even before planting and the embryo died.

If all growing rules are followed, failures are minimized.

Problems when growing winter onions

U winter onions The problems are the same as in summer, but they manifest themselves more acutely.

Firstly, the winter road is more demanding on fertilizers than the summer road. Immediately after germination, it experiences an acute lack of nitrogen (like winter garlic). Summer bow needs much less nitrogen.

Secondly, onions planted before winter often experience whitening of the tips of the leaves. This also happens to pilots, but less often.

The main causes of whitening of leaf tips.

Bulb sets are usually planted in the spring, but sets up to 1 cm in size are poorly stored at home and dry out almost completely until spring. Therefore, it is better to plant such sets before winter, where they will overwinter and produce a good harvest of onions in the summer

Bulb sets are usually planted in the spring, but sets up to 1 cm in size are poorly stored at home and dry out almost completely until spring. Therefore, it is better to plant such sets before winter, where they will overwinter and produce a good harvest of onions in the summer. It is better not to plant sets with a larger diameter before winter; when planted before winter, they will bolt heavily.

It is best to plant onions where there were previously potatoes, tomatoes or cucumbers. It is not advisable to plant onions after onions and cabbage.

A bed for planting onions for the winter should be made in a well-lit place, and in a place where water does not stagnate during rains and in the spring after the snow melts. The soil must be disinfected with a solution copper sulfate(add 1 tablespoon per 10 liters of water), you need to water at the rate of 2 liters per 1 m2. Still need to be added for each square meter beds 3-4 kg of humus, approximately 5 kg of peat, 2 tbsp. spoons of superphosphate and dig well.

Then you need to level and compact the beds, then make grooves 5 cm deep with a distance of 15 cm between the rows. The dried small seedlings then need to be laid out in a furrow 3-4cm apart and covered with peat humus mixture.

The approximate timing of planting onions before winter is October 5-20, but the timing depends on the region, and you also need to focus on the weather. Before frost, the bed with planted onion sets must be mulched with peat with a layer of up to 2-3 cm to protect the onions from freezing. In the spring, the mulch must be removed to allow the soil to warm up. If in winter the air temperature is below minus 10-12°C, the bed must be additionally covered with snow. It is also good to add spruce branches or any branches to the onion plantings for better snow retention.

If onions are planted correctly before winter, then friendly shoots appear in the spring. If the onions are planted densely, then the plants need to be thinned out, leaving a distance of 5-6 cm between them. Excess plants that are pulled out can be used as green onions, so you should hurry with thinning. You can pull it out as needed.

From mid-July, watering onions should be stopped. After lodging the leaves, the onions can be harvested. Be sure to dry the bulbs under a canopy until the leaves and roots become dry. In well-dried bulbs, the leaves and roots can be easily separated.

If some bulbs are poorly ripe and have a thick neck, they should not be left for storage; it is better to eat them immediately.

If you plant small sets before winter, you can get well-ripened bulbs in late July - early August. This onion is very well preserved in winter at home.

It’s difficult to surprise anyone with winter garlic, but autumn planting of onions is still a curiosity for many. And indeed, planting onions before winter is just beginning to gain popularity, winning the hearts of our gardeners more and more confidently every year.

The advantages of growing winter onions are quite obvious:

• You can use the smallest wild oat set, which cannot be preserved until spring;
• The bulbs take root in the fall, and in the spring, with the first warmth, they begin active growth, making full use of melt moisture;
• Seedlings gain strength before weeds and before pests become interested in them;
• The feathers of such onions, as a rule, are more juicy than those planted in the spring, and the bulbs are larger;
• An early harvest provides an opportunity to gain commercial benefits, because in the off-season the price is higher.

In fact, everyone will be able to identify for themselves the benefits and possible disadvantages of winter planting onions; to do this, it is enough to experiment with different varieties.

The photo shows onion sets of the Stuttgarten Riesen variety of the first category (from 1 to 1.5 cm in diameter)

Onion varieties for winter planting

One of the necessary conditions for a good harvest of onions planted in the fall is the choice of a variety suitable for winter planting. It must be a proven cold-resistant variety:

Stuttgarten Riesen, Radar, Shakespeare, Ellan, Kipp-Well, Red Baron, Gladstone, Burgos, Strigunovsky, Bessonovsky and others.

Southern varieties are unsuitable for planting before winter due to the high risk of freezing or bolting.

Pre-winter planting of onions is carried out at the same time as garlic, approximately 2 weeks before the onset of stable cold weather, when the average daily air temperature reaches +5°C. Then the set will have time to take root before the onset of cold weather, but will not have time to grow and will overwinter well.

Onion sets are distinguished by caliber:

• Oatmeal – diameter less than 1 cm;
• First category – 1 – 1.5 cm;
• Second category – 1.5 – 3 cm;
• Samples – 3 cm or more.

For planting onions on a head, wild oat seeding and the first category of bulbs are well suited; such seed does not form shoots and forms large, healthy bulbs.

If, on the contrary, you want to get an early harvest of onions for greens, then you should choose larger seed material, it gives a more powerful feather, but is almost guaranteed to shoot.

The place for planting onions should be bright, well lit throughout the day, ventilated, without stagnant water.

The soil is loose, fertile, neutral, well fertilized with humus or compost.

Almost everyone can be predecessors garden crops, except onions.

It is not advisable to plant onions or garlic in one place for several years in a row. Carry out a sowing shift.

After harvesting the previous crops (potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, etc.), humus is added to the soil, mixed with the top layer of soil with a flat cutter or hoe (cultivator), and green manure (for example, white mustard) is sown. About two weeks before the onion is supposed to be planted, green manure must be mowed and embedded in the soil to a depth of 5 cm. If you do not have enough time for intermediate cultivation of green manure, you can add humus immediately two weeks before planting the onion.

In the prepared soil we make furrows about 5 cm deep, the distance between the rows is 15 - 25 cm.

The distance between the bulbs in a row is 8–10 cm (when planting an onion on a feather, the planting density increases significantly). The bulbs are planted in rows with the roots down, and the grooves are filled with earth.

After the onset of cold weather winter plantings It is recommended to mulch onions organic material(straw, leaves, peat, sawdust, etc.) - this will create optimal conditions for wintering. But in the spring, with the onset of warmth, the mulch should be carefully moved from the rows to the spaces between the rows so that the soil near the bulbs warms up faster. It is not necessary to remove mulch from the rows; it will prevent the growth of weeds, retain moisture and, as it gradually decomposes, supply the root system with nutrients.

In general, caring for winter onions is no different from those planted in the spring. This means timely weeding and loosening of the soil, and during the period of active growth – moderate watering a couple of times a week.

Advice:

We recommend trying combined plantings of onions and carrots. These two crops not only do not create obstacles to each other’s growth, but also perfectly complement each other, protecting against pests: onions protect carrots from carrot flies, and carrots, in turn, drive away onion flies. You can sow carrots in onion rows, to save space on the site, or in neighboring beds.

As you know, onions contain a lot of vitamins and phytoncides that are beneficial for the immune system; they are a natural spice and can enhance the taste and aroma of many products. You need to plant at a distance of 6-7 cm between the bulbs in grooves, the depth of which is 5 cm. The distance between the grooves is 15 cm. Personally, I prefer to plant in holes, and the other parameters remain the same.

Varieties of onions for planting for the winter

Agro winter. One of the best varieties for winter sowing.

Azelros. The onion variety Azelros was created at the All-Russian Research Institute for Selection and Seed Production of Vegetable Crops (VNIISSOK).

Ailsa greyg.

An early variety of onions with very large bulbs.

Crimson ball. Early ripening (from germination to lodging 85-90 days) variety for growing as an annual crop from seeds.

Blonde. Mid-season (from germination to lodging 100-120 days) salad variety.

When to plant onions before winter

In the fall, they plant the smallest sets, the diameter of which is less than 1 cm. First of all, this is done because such bulbs very rarely survive until spring. The work is carried out 2 weeks before the start of the first frost. These seeds will be well preserved in the ground, will not sprout, and in the spring they will yield a good harvest, as they will go through a long growing season. Preparing onions before planting follows the same pattern as in spring.

Technique for growing winter onions

Before planting, the seedlings must be sorted. It is best to do this in thick material or cardboard, where a hole of about a centimeter is made. All bulbs that can pass through it must be set aside for planting. To get a good harvest, it is recommended to treat onions with a warm, weak solution of copper sulfate before planting.

When is it better not to plant onions?

In general, you should be guided by the weather: the onion should have time to grow roots before the onset of cold weather, but sprouts should not be allowed to appear. If you plant an onion ahead of time, it will bolt and die from frost; if planted late, there is a risk that the roots will not have time to develop and the seedling will freeze in the ground. Some gardeners believe that planting onions in the ground at the end of November is optimal solution, however in this case the result depends only on luck.

Caring for onions after planting in the fall

There is no need to talk about specific planting numbers for onions. Sevok is planted when the ground warms up to a depth of 6-10 centimeters.

If you focus on the weather, then in early and warm spring planting can be done at the end of April. Onions should not be planted in cold soil. In spring after warming up sun rays soil, the bed must be prepared for the ripening of the crop.

– Insulation material should be removed from the crop by loosening the soil.

– After about a week, it is worth fertilizing with urea or ash.

– Loosening the soil should be done after rain or watering.

– Remove grown weeds in a timely manner.

– The release of four arrows indicates the ripening of the bulb. During this period, you need to trim the onions and fertilize the soil a second time.

Watering onions after planting in the fall

The frequency of watering onions depends on the weather. If it is quite hot outside, then watering is necessary twice a week. During the period of bulb ripening high humidity soil is harmful. Onions processed for seeds have the greatest need for moisture during flowering. Lack of moisture during flowering leads to a decrease in seed yield.

Onion fertilizers after planting in autumn

Fertilizers rich in nitrogen include manure, bird droppings, urea, ammonium nitrate and others. The component they contain affects the growth of onions and their full development. When feeding is applied, the feather begins to develop intensively. Lack of nitrogen will inhibit growth vegetable crop. As a result, the plant will be weaker and the yield will be low.

Loosening and weeding of onions after planting in autumn

It is very important to combine weed removal in onion plantings with loosening the soil. The weeds are sucking nutrients from the soil, preventing the bulbs from ripening. Onions for planting, soak in water at a temperature of +5 C, on average 10 -15 minutes. Next they carry out “ shock therapy" Immerse the seeds in cold water again for 10 -15 minutes. Thus, it will be more resistant to frost.

All seedlings intended for planting. It is necessary to treat with a warm, slightly diluted solution of potassium permanganate. The bulbs are immersed in the solution for 6 hours.

Onion propagation

The method of propagation depends on the type of onion and the preferences of the gardener. Some people like to propagate the plant by seeds, while others prefer the vegetative method.

Cleaning and storing onions

Onions are harvested when 75 - 80% of the feathers are lodden. The root system of the onion is trimmed with a flat cutter 5 - 6 cm below the bottom of the onion two weeks before the planned harvest (10 - 15% lodging of the tops). After drying, the onions are placed in bags, sacks, or other containers and sent for use or storage. But before that, you should throw away damaged bulbs and those affected by diseases and pests. All bulbs should be dry, with tightly fitting scales.

Benefits of growing winter onions

• You can use the smallest wild oat set, which cannot be preserved until spring;
• The bulbs take root in the fall, and in the spring, with the first warmth, they begin active growth, making full use of melt moisture;
• Seedlings gain strength before weeds and before pests become interested in them;
• The feathers of such onions, as a rule, are juicier than those planted in the spring, and the bulbs are larger.

Latest articles about gardening

Diseases and pests of onions

The onion root mite everywhere damages onions in open and protected ground and storage areas. Mites predominantly inhabit damaged or diseased plants. These pests are hardly noticeable in onion beds, since the mites are very small (0.5-1 mm). They penetrate the bulbs through the bottom. They spread with the remains of damaged plants, soil, and equipment.

Western onion stalker - the larvae of the pest gnaw out longitudinal whitish tunnels in the pulp of the leaves, which are visible through the skin.

Onion moth causes significant damage to onions, leeks and garlic in warm, dry weather. Damaged leaves, starting from the tops, turn yellow and dry out.

Onion fly poses a danger to onions, leeks, garlic and other onion crops.

Starting from the end of July, you should stop all watering of the onions and slightly open the rows, and in August, when the tips of the feathers begin to dry out, the onion plants can be slightly supported, partially breaking the connection of the roots with the soil, which contributes to better ripening of the bulbs. When the onion feather falls, the onion is pulled out of the soil and laid out to dry. After 5-7 days, when the feather is completely dry, it is crushed and separated from the bulbs. All thick onions with green, juicy leaves must be eaten, as they are unsuitable even for short-term storage. Ripened onions are dried indoors for 5-7 days at a temperature of 20-25 ° C, and then for another week at a temperature of 30-35 ° C and with good ventilation. It is advisable to braid onions dried in this way and hang them. This way it is stored better. However, it should be remembered that when growing onions by sowing seeds in one year in our area, it is rarely possible to obtain a large percentage of mature turnips.

With the arrival of spring, activities on summer cottages resumes. This wonderful time forces gardeners to work hard to move into the phase of waiting for the harvest. And I really want to make my work a little easier and enjoy the fruits from my garden a little faster. Therefore the majority experienced gardeners prefers to do some of the planting work in the fall. This technique has a lot of advantages - no need to waste time in the spring and the opportunity to get an early harvest. Usually garlic is planted before winter, but this article describes planting onions before winter. This burning crop develops well with the arrival of spring, but the work should be completed Special attention. In the materials of the article you will find useful tips, a description of the organization of autumn planting, the intricacies of cultivating crops in different regions and the best cultivars.

Onion – description, photo

Allium is like that scientific name kind. In nature, the plant develops as a perennial, but most cultivated forms are grafted with a biennial life cycle. Wild representatives of the genus are widespread in the Northern Hemisphere - meadows, undergrowth and wide steppe are the favorite habitats of plants of the Amaryllidaceae family, the Onion subfamily.

Informative! Tearing when cleaning turnips is caused by 1-sulfinylpropane. The product of the reaction of this lachrymator with water from the lacrimal glands is sulfuric acid, causing merciless burning and lacrimation.

The underground part of the plant is represented by a bulb with a fibrous bunch of roots. The diameter of the head is up to 15 cm. The bulb consists of several layers of scales. The outer ones dry out and turn into a protective shell. The color scheme is yellow, white and red-violet. The inner scales are white and fleshy.

Less common are specimens with greenish or purple tint. In fact, the scales are reduced leaves that are attached to a shortened stem - the bottom. It serves to accumulate nutrients and has a characteristic odor. The aroma of the plant is caused by the content of essential oils containing sulfur compounds. Allicin causes irritation of mucous membranes and is used by representatives of the genus Allium as protection against pests. The axils of the succulent scales contain growth buds from which daughter bulbs develop. Hollow leaves of a linear shape are collected in a basal rosette. The dark green plate is covered with a layer of bluish waxy coating.

By mid-summer, a powerful flower stalk appears from the bottom, reaching a length of 1.5 m. The flower stalk is hollow, thickened, and swollen. At the end there is a large multi-flowered inflorescence in the form of an umbrella. Before flowering begins, the umbrella is covered with a film shell.

Flowers with a greenish-white corolla consist of 6 petals with 6-7 pronounced veins. Inside the corolla there are 6 stamens and a pistil attached to a three-lobed ovary. Up to 6 small triangular seeds are formed inside the fruit-box. Rarely do tiny bulbs form in the umbrella. Black wrinkled seeds remain viable for only 2-3 years and ripen by the end of summer.

Know! The essential oils of the culture easily penetrate into breast milk, giving it an unpleasant taste. When breastfeeding, it is better to refrain from consuming raw onions. For the same reason, it is not advisable to graze animals in areas where wild relatives of the plant grow.

Surprisingly, the hot vegetable contains up to 6-10% sugars. They have approximately the same indicator green apples and watermelon. Onions are rich in inulin, organic acids, and enzymes that improve digestion. B vitamins, ascorbic acid, potassium, magnesium, calcium salts, iodine, carotene, phytoncides - this is not the entire list useful substances, included in the fleshy scales.

The beneficial properties of the plant were also noted by Avicenna, who advised treating sore throats and cataracts with the product. Ibn Sina noted the disinfecting properties of the culture. The doctor recommended washing purulent wounds with juice, purifying contaminated water, and saving yourself from epidemics. At the same time, the vegetable’s ability to improve intestinal motility and stimulate appetite was discovered.

Since ancient times, the culture has been used by humans as a seasoning for various dishes. The harvest is consumed in fresh, canned, dried, added to salads and soups. The ancient Egyptians used beneficial features for the treatment of obesity, rheumatism, gout. The Romans believed that daily consumption of bulbs would give strength and courage to soldiers, so the crop was included in the soldiers' diet.

This is interesting! The plant is a valuable honey plant, capable of producing a lot of nectar for pollinators even in the heat. By the time it ripens, light yellow honey loses its characteristic flavor.

Even modern medicine recognized the benefits of the product and released a number of drugs for the treatment of atherosclerosis, diseases gastrointestinal tract, hypertension and colpitis. Asian guest used in folk medicine and cosmetology. It perfectly strengthens hair, treats seborrhea, reduces freckles, and prevents skin aging.

Features of planting onions before winter

Gardeners who have decided to do this should know that not every cultivar is suitable for this. This method is especially frightening for residents of frosty regions - Siberia and the Urals. Experienced vegetable growers recommend using cultivars strictly in accordance with their zoning. Of course, they must have a high threshold of winter hardiness.

The second nuance of growing is careful sorting of the material. The smaller the bulb, the greater the likelihood of successful wintering in the ground. For these purposes, only the first category of bulbs and wild oat, the diameter of which does not exceed 1 cm, are suitable.
It is also important to choose the right time for planting, because the appearance of sprouts is unacceptable. If you plant a bed too early, they will certainly come out and destroy future harvest. If planting is too late, the material will simply lie in the ground and will develop only with the arrival of spring (if it does not freeze due to lack of moisture). The organization of shelter from freezing is necessary only in regions with harsh climatic conditions.

Advice! Seeds can be used as planting material. During the cold period they will undergo natural stratification and produce a good harvest of seedlings.

What varieties of onions are suitable for planting before winter?

Only frost-resistant hybrids, zoned for your region, are suitable for winter planting. They tolerate frosts more easily, and with the arrival of spring they quickly begin to grow and have excellent germination rates. Give preference to early ripening cultivars, then the harvest can be harvested at the end of June. Southern varieties are absolutely not suitable for winter planting; they will simply freeze out. To make sure you don’t make a mistake, select several cultivars, and after harvesting, mark the most productive ones.

Gardeners preferred the following varieties:

• Ellan;
• Strigunovsky;
• Arzamas;
• Odintsovets;
• Ruby;
• Stuttgarten Riesen;
• Chalcedony;
• Bessonovsky;
• Buran;
• Danilovsky-301;
• Myachkovsky-300.

Advice! The most productive are Ellan, Bessonovsky and Strigunovsky. They combine high yield, early ripening and good frost resistance.

After which crops is it better to plant onions?

Compliance with crop rotation on the site allows you to achieve high yields. If cultivated plants Constantly planting in the same place increases the likelihood of infection by fungi and pests, the soil structure is disrupted, and nutrients are depleted. It is important to select the right predecessors, since most crops have the same diseases. If from year to year the plants “roam” around the site, the risk of contracting a disease or being attacked by pests will be significantly reduced.

As predecessors for representatives of the genus Allium, it is preferable to choose corn, tomatoes, cruciferous vegetables, green manure, tomatoes, cucumbers, peas, root vegetables, and beans. Can be planted after any grains except oats.

Its closest relative, garlic, is not suitable as a predecessor. It is permissible to plant beds with “relatives” only after 4 years. The risk of nematode damage increases when planting potatoes, strawberries, celery root, parsley, alfalfa.

Landing dates

Most gardeners are skeptical about planting vegetables in winter. But this method is gaining increasing popularity due to the opportunity to harvest the long-awaited harvest early. After all, by spring the cost of vegetables and fruits steadily increases several times. This is due to the end of last season's supplies and the long wait for the new harvest.

Important! Decisive factor determining optimal time is the climate of the growing region.

You already know what will happen to the bulbs during early and late planting, so strictly follow the rule for selecting the optimal time for planting. autumn work. It occurs a month before expected frosts in the region. This period of time is enough for the material to take root, but it will not be enough for the development of sprouts. Better focus on landing winter garlic in your region. When the soil has cooled and the thermometer stays at +5⁰ for several days, it’s time to start.

For regions with cold climates, it is better to plant from mid-September to early October. At temperate climate it is permissible to extend the period until the end of October, and in the South we can safely postpone the sowing season to November. But rely on weather needed in any area.

Processing onions before planting

Pre-planting preparation of seedlings should be done 10 days before the planned event. First you should sort the material into fractions. There are several categories, each of which is suitable for certain purposes. Oatmeal are tiny onions less than 1 cm in diameter. They will form an average turnip weighing 60-100 g. In any case, this fraction will either have to be thrown away or used only for winter sowing, since it will simply dry out before spring.

The next category is called sevka. Its diameter reaches 1.5-3 cm, but it is better to take smaller bulbs. They will grow large and will be stored for a long time. Selections whose diameter exceeds 3 cm are usually planted in the spring. For the purpose described, it is suitable as a producer of green feathers, since by summer it will certainly produce a peduncle.

Attention! Select only healthy hard specimens without signs of spoilage. When sorting, you should not cut off the neck, because your goal is to get a turnip, not a feather.

The next stage of pre-plant preparation is disinfection. Although the bulbs should not be soaked before winter sowing, they should still be pickled. Do this at least a week before planting in the garden. This time is enough for the sevka to dry. Usually they are soaked in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for 6 hours or use the “grandmother’s method”. A saline solution is prepared for it at the rate of 1 tablespoon of the component per liter of water. First hold the heads in saline solution 3 hours, and then the same amount of time in potassium permanganate.
Dry the bulbs in the attic for a week. Turn over periodically to ensure even drying. Re-inspect the material for damage.

In order for an Asian guest to grow well, it is necessary to correctly determine its place in the garden. He loves the sun and warmth, prefers light, loose substrates with good drainage. It is important to choose a place on a hill where, with the arrival of spring, the snow melts faster and moisture stagnation is excluded. Otherwise, growth will slow down or the onion will rot. The southern slope of the garden is ideal for creating a garden bed. Make sure there are natural barriers nearby that will protect the plant from the wind. Sandy loam soils with the addition of humus or light fertile loams are suitable for Asians.

The preparatory stage includes digging with a shovel and adding organic matter. Mature compost or humus is suitable as a fertilizer. It is added 5 kg per square meter of bed. You can additionally add a full mineral complex of 20 g per 1 m2. Immediately before planting, dust the soil with ash.

Attention! The use of fresh manure is unacceptable. It will become a nutrient substrate for the development of diseases and cause burns.

Planting onions on turnips

To make planting easier, we recommend that you read the following instructions:

1. In the prepared area, form a raised bed up to 20 cm high. It is better to do it in advance so that the soil shrinks.
2. The length of the bed is arbitrary, and it is better to make the width no more than a meter.
3. Carefully break up all the lumps with a rake; if weeds appear, be sure to remove them.
4. Form grooves 5 cm wide, 15 cm apart.
5. Place the prepared planting material (oat grass or small sets) at the bottom of the furrow. The step between the bulbs is 5-7 cm.
6. The depth of placement of wild oat grass and small fractions is 3 cm.
7. Fill the furrow with soil and compact it.

This completes the planting process; the planted bulbs will not need additional irrigation. Be sure to follow the recommended seal level. If you bury the bulb, it will not have enough strength to germinate. If the bulbs are too close to the surface of the ground, they become susceptible to frost.

Caring for onions after planting in the fall

If the weather remains dry for a long time after planting, you can periodically water the bed. Maintain a 10-day interval between irrigations. With the onset of stable cold weather mulch should be placed on top of the bed. Deciduous or coniferous litter will do.

Know! It is undesirable to take peat and straw, since they freeze, and with the arrival of spring it will be quite difficult to remove the mulch without damaging the seedlings.

For detention more snow cover, use branches or spruce branches. The use of film and covering material is not recommended. In the spring, under the film, the bulbs run the risk of drying out from excess moisture, and the covering material will be seized by an ice shell and impede the supply of oxygen. It is better to periodically rake it into the garden bed after snow falls. It will provide the best protection against freezing.

How to plant onions before winter in the Moscow region

The climatic conditions of the Moscow region are changeable, but not so severe. The principles of winter landing described in the article are quite applicable to this region. Organization required winter shelter, since the temperature background in the Moscow region can fluctuate sharply. In severe frost, your onion will overwinter wonderfully under cover and snow, which, if necessary, must be shoveled onto the bed.

Which varieties are suitable for the Moscow region

In the Moscow region, it is advisable to use hybrids that are resistant to harsh climatic conditions. It is also important to make a choice in accordance with your own preferences, because some people like hot vegetables, while others prefer a milder taste. It is necessary to take into account the productivity of the plant, ripening time, and keeping quality of the product. It is better if the cultivar is comprehensively resistant to various diseases.

The best varieties in terms of yield and endurance

We invite you to familiarize yourself with the best varieties crops that will delight you with large heads and will withstand cold weather with dignity:

1. Shakespeare. The peculiarities of this Dutch hybrid include its extremely early ripening period. It will be ready for harvesting in 75 days. It is not susceptible to bolting and is comprehensively resistant to various diseases. The heads are large, weigh 100-250 grams, and have a round shape. The dense pulp has a semi-sharp taste, snow-white color and increased juiciness. The cover scales are colored yellowish-brown. The culture is frost-resistant.
2. Siberian annual. Another early ripening cultivar with a semi-sharp taste. Its golden, flat-round heads will ripen in 2-2.5 months. The mass of the bulb reaches 150-200 g, keeping quality is excellent. Productivity is 4 kg/sq.m. m. Siberian annual cold-hardy.
3. Radar. Cultivar of Dutch selection with durable integumentary scales of a golden hue. Such a shell reliably protects the head from freezing, which affects the absence of arrows and the duration of storage. Round turnips are slightly flattened on top, weigh from 300 to 500 g. A powerful root system makes the crop resistant to pest attack. The combination of high productivity and early maturation has made Radar very popular.
4. Ellan. A new product on the market, combining high yield, ultra-early ripening, and unpretentiousness. Ellan is comprehensively resistant to fungal diseases, forms round fruits weighing 100-120 cm. Dense yellow scales reliably protect against freezing. The taste qualities are highly appreciated by experts. Tearing when cutting is minimal.
5. Senshui. An early ripening hybrid with high productivity. It's enough large heads weigh up to 200 g, have a pungent taste and are perfectly stored. Among the advantages are the absence of peduncles and immunity to powdery mildew.
6. Centurion. This hybrid is characterized by the formation of medium-sized heads, weighing up to 150 g. The crop has high marketability, is stored for a long time and ripens very early. The centurion does not shoot, is stable and productive.
7. Sturon is easily recognized by its characteristic oblong-oval shape of fruits with a golden covering. The weight of the head is up to 200 g, the taste is sharp. Ripening occurs in 100-110 days. Sturon is frost-resistant, unpretentious, and highly productive.
8. Arzamas. This early ripening variety has been showing excellent results for a long time. It ripens in 80-90 days, forms a round turnip weighing up to 100 g. Under the yellow cover hides dense, burning pulp. Productivity is good, storage is long. Arzamas is frost-resistant, but prone to downy mildew.
9. Stuttgarter Riesen. The popular German hybrid is highly productive. The time required to grow the crop is minimal, and care is very simple. The weight of the flattened yellowish head reaches 150-250 g. The delicate pungency in taste makes the hybrid attractive to chefs. Transportability and keeping quality are excellent.
10. Panther F1. The hybrid was bred by Japanese breeders. It has increased foliage and a developed root lobe. Not attacked by pests, resistant to frost and the appearance of flower stalks. Bronze heads reach a weight of 200 g and are perfectly stored.
11. Chalcedony. The most resistant hybrid successfully tolerates frost, drought and fungal diseases. The heads are large up to 150 g, productivity is high. Beneath the bronze cover lies juicy, semi-sharp flesh. white.
12. Danilovsky. One of the best cultivars both for direct consumption and for long-term storage. Its beautiful flat bulbs are red in color and have a sweetish-savory taste. Under the cover lies very juicy white pulp. Productive, frost-resistant, reaches a weight of 150 g.
13. Myachkovsky-300. Early ripening lettuce onion with small flat yellow turnips. Fruit weight 50-70 g. It is consistently productive, has high juiciness and a pleasant semi-sharp taste. It does not last long and is suitable for preservation.

Know! When planting wild oatmeal, frost resistance is not too important.

These tiny bulbs will overwinter well if they are not heat-loving southern varieties.

Planting onions in 2017 in the Moscow region according to the lunar calendar

The lunar calendar has been a constant companion of gardeners since ancient times. Even then, people noted the influence of the small star on various processes on the ground. Gardeners still prefer to select the optimal days for various works Location on.

During the growth of the lunar disk, the circulation of plant juices is concentrated in the upper part of the crops. The moon seems to be pushing the plant to direct all its strength to growth. When the disk decreases, the juices move down. This period is favorable for root crops. Twice a month there come days when it is better to postpone planting work and spend time cleaning up weeds. We are talking about the full moon and the new moon.

On a note! Since the Asian guest forms fruits underground, it is advisable to plant it when the lunar disk wanes.

According to the data lunar calendar 2017, in September are optimal for winter planting on the 9th, 14th, 17th, 20th. You should refrain from work on the 6th and 20th. You should not do them on October 5 and 19. This month you can allocate time 6-9, 16-17. If you are a supporter of disembarkation too late, you can do this on November 6, 7, 12-14.

Planting onions before winter in the Urals

The climate in the Urals is inhospitable and harsh, so those who decide to plant vegetables using the described method should slightly shift the work schedule. So that the bulbs have time to sprout roots, but do not freeze, plant them towards the end of September. Be sure to purchase local planting material, since it has already been acclimatized to the conditions of the cultivation area. You shouldn’t think about buying southern cultivars even in the Moscow region, and in the Urals you should definitely buy only cold-resistant species. Without shelter, the tiny wild oat will freeze to death, depriving you of an early harvest.

Planting onions before winter in Siberia

The success of cultivating winter onions in Siberian conditions is possible only with strict adherence to deadlines and favorable weather. Among the hybrids, give preference to the most frost-resistant ones and carefully cover the bed. If in the spring you discover that some of the bulbs have frozen, it is worth planting a large fraction of seeds in place of the gaps, and in the fall try a different variety.

Onion sets - planting before winter

Using small fraction sets will allow you to get excellent heads by mid-summer. If you want to use vitamin feathers soon after the snow melts, you should give preference to a sample or a large fraction with a head diameter of more than 2 cm. Such bulbs need to be planted in different ways, and you will find out exactly how later.

Varieties and advantages of planting before winter

The choice of a specific cultivar depends on climate zone cultivation, but there are also universal varieties, which can be planted both in the Moscow region or Ukraine, and in colder climates. For example, Ellan, Stuttgarter Riesen, Danilovsky, Red Baron, Strigunovsky and Arzamasky.
The advantages of the winter type of cultivation include:

• cheapness and big choice planting material;
• the opportunity to get excellent heads from small wild oats;
• absence of arrows when planting wild oats;
• early ripening of the crop;
• turnip's ability to independently defend itself from onion fly(by the time the larvae appear on the bottom, a dense root lobe will grow, preventing them from gnawing out passages);
• extended deadlines for work, saving time on work;
• opportunity to harvest two crops different cultures from one site;
• excellent keeping quality of assembled heads.

Know! This method cultivation is attractive to farmers selling vegetables from their land. The heads will ripen earlier, their cost at this time will be slightly higher.

How to prepare a bed for onion sets

Whatever fraction you choose for planting material, the preparation of bulbs, soil and beds is carried out in accordance with the recommendations described in the article.

Planting seedlings before winter

It is carried out similarly to that described in the article, but the depth of embedding and the distance between copies varies.
The larger the fraction, the deeper it is worth immersing the onion in the soil. The fleshy layers accumulate moisture, which is why they can quickly freeze. Oatmeal is immersed in the soil by 3 cm, and large sets are buried to 5-7 cm. In the row between large bulbs leave at least 10 cm.

How to care for such onions in the spring

With the arrival of spring, it is necessary to remove the mulch from the garden bed. This is done after the snow cover has melted. Immediately feed the hatched onion so that it gets stronger and is not afraid of frost. The best feeding will become wood ash. Place 10 g of fertilizer per square meter on the garden bed, then gently loosen the soil.

In spring, there is enough moisture in the soil for the normal development of the vegetable, so the turnips will begin to quickly gain weight. Irrigate the bed periodically, using up to 10 liters of water per square meter of area. In dry weather, it is better to water the onion bed twice a week. A day after irrigation, provide oxygen access to the roots by loosening the top layer of soil.

Advice! By the time the crop is actively growing, the flower seedlings will have grown.

Use Tagetes or calendula seedlings to repel pests. When the rosette grows 4 leaves, you should re-fertilize. Use chicken or mullein, garden infusion, potassium-phosphorus complex. If the density is too thick, thin out. Extra heads will come in handy for replenishing vitamin reserves. The harvest will ripen by mid-summer.

Conclusion

As you can see, planting onions before winter has many nuances. But if they are implemented, it is quite possible to achieve great harvest, which will ripen almost a month earlier than usual.